Every week is concert week on Classical 101. Tune in to hear everything from Ravel to Bach with witty insight and conversation from hosts in-the-know. Here's a sneak peek of what's on the menu for next week, January 31 through February 6, 2016.
Weekly Highlights for February 14th-20th:
Sunday, February 14th:
1:00 PM, Concerts@Ohio State with Christopher Purdy
Heitor Villa-Lobos' Bachianas brasileiras No.5, aria sung by Emily Brand, soprano with OSU Cello Orchestra conducted by Mark Rudoff
8:00 PM, Musica Sacra with Christopher Purdy
Tchaikovsky: Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom (selections); For much of his life, Tchaikovsky was a engaged with the Russian Orthodox Church. On the completion of his "Liturgy" he wrote to his friend and patroness Nadezhda von Meck:
"For me [the church] still possesses much poetical charm. I very often attend the services. I consider the liturgy of St. John Chrysostom one of the greatest productions of art. If we follow the service very carefully, and enter into the meaning of every ceremony, it is impossible not to be profoundly moved by the liturgy of our own Orthodox Church... to be startled from one's trance by a burst from the choir; to be carried away by the poetry of this music; to be thrilled when... the words ring out, 'Praise the name of the Lord!' – all this is infinitely precious to me! One of my deepest joys!"
Monday, February 15th:
7:00 PM, Essential Classics: "Music you know you know even if you don’t know you know it."
Beethoven Symphony No. 5 is definitely a piece you know. It's been featured in everything in pop culture from car commercials to slapstick comedy films. Listen this Monday as host Christopher Purdy introduces one of the essential classics of Western music. Here's PDQ Bach's take on this iconic piece as if it were a football game:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzXoVo16pTg
Tuesday, February 16th:
7:00 PM, The American Sound with Jennifer Hambrick
Valentine Waltzes by George Antheil
Wednesday, February 17th:
7:00 PM, Fretworks with John Rittmeyer
Paul Galbraith uses his 8-string guitar for Songs of La Mancha by Federico Moreno Torroba
Thursday, February 18th:
7:00 PM, Symphony@7 with John Rittmeyer
Dvořák, Symphony No. 7 was inspired by Dvořák's admiration for Brahms's newly released 3rd Symphony in 1884, but the work also served as Dvořák's own statement on the political unrest of his native Czechoslovakia. It is often regarded as the composer's best work due to its ambitious compositional structure and clear multi-nationalist attitudes. On the completion of the first movement in just five days' time, Dvořák wrote to a friend:
"I am now busy with this symphony for London, and wherever I go I can think of nothing else. God grant that this Czech music will move the world!!"
Friday, February 19th:
7:00 PM, The San Francisco Symphony during Classical Showcase
Ton Koopman conducts pieces by Tchaikovsky, J.S. Bach, and C.P.E. Bach
Saturday, February 20th :
1:00 PM, Metropolitan Opera Broadcast
Donizetti's Maria Stuarda
Soprano Joyce DiDonato is no newcomer to the role of Mary, Queen of Scots, in one of Donizetti's darkest operas. Her dramatic know-how definitely makes the music of this opera come alive with or without video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU-aN_hzjbE
6:00 PM, The American Sound with Jennifer Hambrick
Peter Boyer's jubilant orchestra work Festivities
7:00 PM, Fretworks with John Rittmeyer
Serenade for clarinet and guitar by Donizetti